PM Narendra Modi addressing the UN General Assembly in New York.

The strength of India’s democracy lies in the fact that a young tea seller is addressing the UN for the 4th time, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said while addressing the 76th session of the UN General Assembly in New York.

Prime Minister Modi on Saturday reached New York to address the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

“Regressive thinking and extremism is becoming a threat to the world. There are countries that are using terror as a political tool. They should know that terror is equally dangerous for them,” PM Modi said.

Talking about the present situation in Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover, PM Modi said, “It is absolutely essential to ensure that Afghanistan’s territory is not used to spread terrorism and for terrorist activities.”

He also said, “At this time, people of Afghanistan, women & children, minorities need help. We must fulfill our duties by providing them with help”

“We also need to ensure that no country tries to take advantage of delicate situation in Afghanistan & use it for its own selfish interests,” he added.

“The time to act is now. The UN has to keep itself relevant. It has to better its reliability. Proxy war, terror and the situation in Afghanistan are asking us tough questions,” Modi asserted.

He said, “India is a great example of vibrant democracy. Our democracy is recognised by its diversity.”

Modi claimed, “When India grows, the world grows. When India reforms, the world transforms”

A media report quoted Union External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi as saying that PM Modi is the American city to voice the sentiments of the 1.3 billion Indians.

India’s current membership of the UN Security Council lends even greater significance, Bagchi added.

At the UN General Assembly, Modi said, “India has embarked on a journey to provide clean and potable water.”

“During the last seven years, 43 crores of people have got bank accounts. 36 crore people have been insured. We have made over 3 crore homes. The homeless have become home owners.”

“We are looking to provide piped water to 17 crore homes. From mapping land to providing credit, we are providing people a chance to own homes,” he added.

It has been reported that Modi flew to New York from Washington after holding his first bilateral meeting with US President Joe Biden in the Oval Office of the White House and attended his first in-person Quad summit on Friday.